Disk cartridge, disk device and shutter opening/closing mechanism including a rotating body

ABSTRACT

A disk device  1  comprising a disk cartridge  3  and a disk  2  accommodated therein. The disk cartridge  3  includes a body case  1  with a window for exposing a recording surface  5  of the disk  2 ; and provided with a shutter body  25  to be moved in a manner capable of opening/closing the window. The body case  11  is provided with a rotating body  30  in a gear shape. Provided in a disk driving apparatus for recording a piece of information into or reproducing the information from the disk  2  are: a guiding rib; and an operation rack along the disk inserting direction. Upon insertion of the disk device  1  into the disk driving apparatus, the guiding rib causes rotation regulator  40  to rotate so that the rotation regulator  40  is disengaged from the rotating body  30  and the operation rack engages with the rotating body  30  to thereby rotate the rotating body  30 , thereby opening/closing the shutter body  25  via shutter opening/closing mechanism  35.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to: a disk cartridge capable of rotatablyaccommodating a disk therein and of being loaded in a disk drivingapparatus for recording a piece of information into the disk and forreproducing the piece of information recorded in the disk; a disk devicecomprising such a disk cartridge and a disk accommodated therein; and ashutter opening/closing mechanism for opening/closing a window forexposing a disk by moving a shutter.

2. Description of Related Art

As conventional recording media, there have been widely utilized: diskcartridges removably accommodating disks therein such as CD-ROM's(Compact Disc Read Only Memory); and those disk devices such as MO(Magneto-Optical), FD (Floppy Disc: Trade Mark), MD (Mini Disk), whichinclude disk cartridges integrally and rotatably accommodating diskstherein. Known as these disk cartridges and disk devices are thosehaving structures such as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

The structure shown in FIG. 11 is a disk device 105 comprising: a bodycase 102 rotatably accommodating a disk 101 therein, and formed with awindow 103 for exposing a recording surface of the disk 101; and ashutter 104 moveably disposed on the body case so as to open/close thewindow. The shutter 104 of the disk device 105 is integrally providedwith a belt 106 in the moving direction of the shutter, and this belt106 has its tip end provided with a pawl portion 107. The shutter 104for opening the window 103 is further provided with a coil spring 108for influencing a counteracting force or pulling force onto the shutter104 in a direction opposite to the moving direction thereof.

The disk device 105 shown in FIG. 11 is constituted such that this diskdevice 105 is inserted into a disk driving apparatus (not shown) forrecording and reproducing a piece of information into and from the disk101, such that the pawl portion 107 of the belt 106 is engaged by a pin110 protruded within a zone through which the disk device 105 placed ina transferring path is moved when the disk device is transferred up to apredetermined operational position by transferring structure disposed inthe disk driving apparatus. This moves the belt 106 against the pullingforce of the coil spring 108 dependently of the transferring movement ofthe disk device 105, so that the shutter 104 is moved to open the window103 to thereby expose the recording surface of the disk 101 at theoperational position.

However, the shutter 104 of the constitution shown in FIG. 11 is movedto open the window 103 to thereby expose the recording surface of thedisk 101 thereby requiring a pin-like constitution for moving the belt106 by engaging with the pawl portion 107 of the belt 106, so that thisdisk device is allowed to be utilized only in a particular disk drivingapparatus having such a pin-like component. Further, in such a diskdriving apparatus constituted to directly load or place the disk device105 into an operational position without any transferring structure fortransferring the disk device 105, there is required a constitution formoving a pin-like component relative to the disk device 105, therebyrequiring a passage space for passing the pin-like component and thusfailing to downsize the disk driving apparatus.

Meantime, the structure shown in FIG. 12 is a disk device 125comprising: a body case 121 rotatably accommodating a disk (not shown)therein, and formed with a window 122 for exposing a recording surfaceof the disk; and a shutter 123 moveably disposed on the body case so asto open/close the window. The body case 121 of the disk device 125 isprovided with a concaved portion 127 for forming a stepped portionbetween the shutter 123 and body case 121, within a moving region of theshutter 123 and in a state where the shutter 123 closes the window 122.Provided within the body case 121 is counteracting structure (not shown)for influencing a pulling force onto the shutter 123 in a directionopposite to the moving direction thereof for opening the window 122.

Provided in a disk driving apparatus (not shown) for recording andreproducing a piece of information into and from the recording surfaceof the disk of the disk device 125 are: an insertion opening forinserting the disk device 125 therethrough; an operational positioncommunicated with the insertion opening so as to record/reproduce theinformation; and a movement path for moving the disk device 125therethrough from the insertion opening toward the operational position.The disk driving apparatus is further provided with shutter driver 131for opening/closing the shutter 123 of the disk device 125 which ismoving through the movement path, to thereby open/close the window 122.This shutter driver 131 comprises: an arm portion 132 having one endrotatably disposed within the movement path, and the pivoted other end;a pin portion 133 disposed at the tip end or the one end of the armportion 132, so as to engage in the concaved portion 127 of the diskdevice 125 which moves through the movement path; and a coil spring 135for influencing a pulling force onto the arm portion 132 in a directionopposite to the rotating direction of the arm portion 132 which isrotated as the disk device 125 is moved to the operational position.

In the case where the disk device 125 is to be inserted into theinsertion opening of the disk driving apparatus, the concaved portion127 is engaged with the pin portion 133 of the shutter driver 131positioned in the movement path, so that the arm portion 132 is rotatedas the disk device 125 is moved. This rotational movement pushinglymoves the shutter 123, so that the window 122 is opened at theoperational position to thereby expose the recording surface of thedisk.

However, in the constitution shown in FIG. 12, the shutter 123 is movedto open the window 122 to thereby expose the recording surface of thedisk. This requires the shutter driver 131 having such a specificconstitution comprising the arm portion 132, which arm portion isrotatably disposed in the movement path of the disk device 125 and hasthe pin portion 133 to be engaged in the concaved portion 127 disposedin the disk device 125. Thus, the disk device can be utilizedexclusively in such a specific disk driving apparatus having the shutterdriver 131. Further, in such a disk driving apparatus constituted todirectly load the disk device 125 into an operational position withoutmoving the disk device 125, there is required a constitution forengaging the pin portion 133 into the concaved portion 127 and rotatingthe arm portion 132, thereby requiring a passage space for passingtherethrough the arm portion 132 and thus failing to downsize the diskdriving apparatus.

As described above, the scheme shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 requiresspecific constitutions for moving the shutters 104, 123, and is thusapplicable to only those disk driving apparatuses having specificconstitutions, thereby failing to improve versatility. Moreover, inthose disk driving apparatuses which directly load the disk devices 105,125 into operational positions, it is required to ensure passage spacesfor passing therethrough those components for moving the shutters 104,123, thereby also failing to downsize the disk driving apparatuses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a main object of the present invention to provide a diskcartridge, a disk device and a shutter opening/closing mechanism,capable of avoiding a limitation to a single type of constitution foropening/closing a shutter, to thereby improve versatility and readilyfacilitate downsizing the disk driving apparatus.

The present invention provides a disk cartridge capable of rotatablyaccommodating therein a disk so as to be loaded into a disk drivingapparatus for conducting at least one of operations for recording apiece of information into the disk and reproducing the informationrecorded in the disk, the disk cartridge comprising: a body case capableof rotatably accommodating the disk therein; a window opened in the bodycase so as to expose that surface of the accommodated disk which is tobe or has been recorded with the piece of information; a shutterprovided in the body case in a manner capable of opening/closing thewindow; a rotating body rotatably provided within the body case andincluding an outer peripheral surface exposed from the body case so asto be contacted with and rotated by the disk driving apparatus, in astate where the disk cartridge is loaded in the disk driving apparatusor in the course of loading movement of the disk cartridge into the diskdriving apparatus; and shutter driver provided within the body case andfor moving the shutter by the rotation of the rotating body to therebyopen/close the window.

According to such a constitution, the body case capable of rotatablyaccommodating the disk therein is opened with the window for exposingthat surface of the disk which is to be or has been recorded with thepiece of information, and the shutter is provided in the manner capableof opening/closing the window. Further, there are provided: the rotatingbody provided within the body case and including the exposed outerperipheral surface, so as to be contacted with and rotated by the diskdriving apparatus, in a state where the disk cartridge is loaded in thedisk driving apparatus for recording a piece of information into orreproducing the information from the disk or in the course of loadingmovement of the disk cartridge into the disk driving apparatus; and theshutter driver for moving the shutter by the rotation of the rotatingbody to thereby open/close the window. This causes the rotating body tocontact with and to be rotated by the disk driving apparatus uponloading the disk cartridge into the disk driving apparatus or in theloaded state, and the rotation of the rotating body is transmitted tothe shutter through the shutter driver so as to move the shutter therebyopening/closing the window. This enables to open/close the shutter byany suitable constitution for rotating the rotating body in the courseof loading movement of the disk cartridge into the disk drivingapparatus or after loading, so that the constitution for opening/closingthe shutter is not limited thereby improving the versatility. It is alsopossible to exemplarily contact the rotating body with a wall surface inthe course of loading movement of the disk cartridge into the diskdriving apparatus, thereby readily downsizing the disk driving apparatuswhere the constitution for opening/closing the shutter can be omittedfrom the disk driving apparatus or realized by the simple structure.

In the disk cartridge of the present invention, it is desirable that therotating body comprises a gear.

According to such a constitution, the rotating body comprises the gear.This allows to readily utilize a general constitution adopting a rackand pinion constitution for converting the rotation of the rotating bodyinto the linear movement of the shutter. Further, the rotating body canbe assuredly rotated such as by a gear or rack without slippage, therebyallowing to efficiently and assuredly open/close the shutter.

In the disk cartridge of the present invention, it is desirable that therotating body is disengageably contacted with and rotated by rotatingstructure provided in the disk driving apparatus.

According to such a constitution, the rotating structure provided in thedisk driving apparatus disengageably contacts with and rotate therotating body. This enables to open/close the shutter such as afterloading the disk cartridge into the disk driving apparatus, therebyenabling to open/close the shutter without limiting the mountingdirection of the disk cartridge into the disk driving apparatus tothereby improve the versatility.

In the disk cartridge of the present invention, it is desirable that therotating body is engaged with a rack provided in the disk drivingapparatus and is rotated by the movement of the disk cartridge uponloading into the disk driving apparatus.

According to such a constitution, the rotating body is engaged with therack provided in the disk driving apparatus and is rotated by themovement of the disk cartridge upon loading into the disk drivingapparatus. This allows to open/close the shutter by the simpleconstitution of the fixed rack without providing the disk drivingapparatus with any specific constitution for opening/closing theshutter, thereby allowing to readily downsize the disk drivingapparatus.

In the disk cartridge of the present invention, it is desirable that theshutter driver comprises: a shutter rack provided integrally with theshutter; and a pinion engaged with the shutter rack and rotated as therotating body rotates.

According to such a constitution, there are provided, as the shutterdriver, the shutter rack provided integrally with the shutter, and thepinion engaged with the shutter rack and rotated as the rotating bodyrotates. Thus, the pinion of the shutter driver is rotated as therotating body is rotated upon loading the disk device into the diskdriving apparatus such that the rack integrally provided on the shutterand engaged with the pinion is moved to thereby move the shutter,thereby allowing to obtain a constitution for opening/closing theshutter by the rotation of the rotating body by virtue of the simplestructure to thereby readily downsize the disk device and improve themanufacturability thereof.

In the disk cartridge of the present invention, it is desirable that theshutter driver comprises: wind-up structure provided integrally with therotating body; a string member having one end coupled to the shutter andthe other end coupled to the wind-up structure so that the string memberis wound up by the rotation of the rotating body to thereby pullinglymove the shutter; and counteracting structure coupled to the shutter soas to influence a counteracting force onto the shutter in a directionopposite to the direction for pullingly moving the shutter by the stringmember.

According to such a constitution, the string member having one endcoupled to the shutter and the other end coupled to the wind-upstructure provided integrally with the rotating body is wound up by therotation of the rotating body to thereby pullingly move the shutterthereby opening the window, and the shutter is moved back to close thewindow by the counteracting force by the counteracting structure in adirection opposite to the direction for pullingly moving the shutterwhen the rotation of the rotating body is released. This allows toreadily obtain the constitution for opening/closing the shutter by therotation of the rotating body and to use a small-sized space foraccommodating the structure of the shutter driver therein, therebyreadily downsizing the body case.

In the disk cartridge of the present invention, it is desirable that thedisk cartridge further comprises rotation regulator disposed within thebody case so as to separably contact with the rotating body to therebyrestrict the rotation of the rotating body.

According to such a constitution, there is provided the rotationregulator for separably contacting with the rotating body to therebyrestrict the rotation of the rotating body. This assuredly avoids such asituation that the rotating body is inadvertently rotated to move theshutter thereby opening the window to thereby expose the disk. Thus, thedamage of the disk can be assuredly prevented.

In the disk cartridge of the present invention, it is desirable that therotation regulator is separated from the rotating body, upon loading ofthe disk cartridge into the disk driving apparatus or in a state of thedisk cartridge loaded in the disk driving apparatus.

According to such a constitution, the rotation regulator is separatedfrom the rotating body, upon loading of the disk cartridge into the diskdriving apparatus or in the state of the disk cartridge loaded in thedisk driving apparatus. Thus, the rotation regulator contacts with therotating body in a normal state to thereby avoid the movement of theshutter due to the rotation of the rotating body, while the rotationregulator is separated from the rotating body to thereby allow therotating body to rotate upon conducting the operation forrecording/reproducing the information in the disk driving apparatus,thereby resulting in that the disk is exposed only uponrecording/reproducing the information thereby allowing torecord/reproduce the information so that the disk can be assuredlyprotected in the normal state.

In the disk cartridge of the present invention, it is desirable that thebody case includes a recessed portion at an outer surface of the bodycase; and that the rotating body is positioned and disposed in therecessed portion so as to allow an outer peripheral surface of therotating body to be contacted with the disk driving apparatus.

According to such a constitution, the body case is provided with therecessed portion at the outer surface of the body case, and the rotatingbody is positioned and disposed in the recessed portion so as to allowthe outer peripheral surface of the rotating body to be contacted withthe disk driving apparatus. This allows by a simple constitution: toreliably avoid inadvertent contact with the rotating body from theexterior; to assuredly avoid a situation where the rotating body isrotated to thereby move the shutter thereby exposing the disk; and toreliably protect the disk.

The disk device of the present invention comprises: the aforementioneddisk cartridge of the present invention, and a disk rotatablyaccommodated within the disk cartridge.

According to such a constitution, the disk device comprises theaforementioned disk cartridge of the present invention, thereby enablingto open/close the shutter by any suitable constitution for rotating therotating body in the course of loading movement of the disk cartridgeinto the disk driving apparatus or after loading, so that theconstitution for opening/closing the shutter is not limited therebyimproving the versatility. It is also possible to exemplarily contactthe rotating body with a wall surface in the course of loading movementof the disk cartridge into the disk driving apparatus, thereby readilydownsizing the disk driving apparatus where the constitution foropening/closing the shutter can be omitted from the disk drivingapparatus or realized by the simple structure.

The present invention further provides a shutter opening/closingmechanism for opening/closing a shutter of a disk cartridge, the diskcartridge comprising: a body case capable of rotatably accommodating adisk therein; a window opened in the body case so as to expose thatsurface of the accommodated disk which is to be recorded with a piece ofinformation; and the shutter provided in the body case in a mannercapable of opening/closing the window; the shutter opening/closingmechanism comprising: a rotating body rotatably provided within the bodycase and including an exposed outer peripheral surface; shutter driverprovided within the body case and for moving the shutter by the rotationof the rotating body to thereby open/close the window; and rotatingstructure for contacting with the rotating body to thereby rotate therotating body, in a state where the disk cartridge is loaded in anoperational position for conducting at least one of operations forrecording a piece of information into the disk and reproducing theinformation recorded in the disk, or in the course of loading movementof the disk cartridge into the operational position.

According to such a constitution, in the body case of the disk cartridgecapable of rotatably accommodating the disk and provided with theshutter capable of opening/closing the window for exposing the disk,there are provided: the rotating body in the state for exposing itsouter peripheral surface; and the shutter driver for opening/closing thewindow by moving the shutter by the movement of the rotating body.Further, the rotating structure is contacted with the rotating body tothereby rotate it, in the state where the disk cartridge is loaded inthe operational position such as for recording a piece of informationinto the disk and reproducing the information recorded in the disk, orin the course of loading movement of the disk cartridge into theoperational position. This allows to adopt any suitable constitution forrotating the rotating body for opening/closing the shutter such as uponloading the disk cartridge into the operational position forrecording/reproducing the information, so that the constitution foropening/closing the shutter is no way restricted and the versatility isimproved. It is also possible to exemplarily contact the rotating bodywith a wall surface in the course of loading movement of the diskcartridge into the disk driving apparatus, thereby readily downsizingthe constitution for opening/closing the shutter such that theconstitution for opening/closing the shutter is omitted from the diskdriving apparatus for recording/reproducing the information or realizedby the simple structure.

In the shutter opening/closing mechanism of the present invention, it isdesirable that the rotating structure comprises rotation driver fordisengageably contacting with the rotating body in the state where thebody case is loaded in the operational position, to thereby rotate therotating body.

According to such a constitution, the rotating structure comprises therotation driver for disengageably contacting with the rotating body inthe state where the body case is loaded in the operational position, tothereby rotate the rotating body. This enables to open/close the shuttersuch as after loading the disk cartridge into the operational position,thereby enabling to open/close the shutter without limiting the mountingdirection of the body case into the disk driving apparatus to therebyimprove the convenience.

In the shutter opening/closing mechanism of the present invention, it isdesirable that the rotating structure comprises a rack provided along amoving direction of the body case into the operational position, therack being engaged with the rotating body in the course of loadingmovement of the body case into the operational position to therebyrotate the rotating body.

According to such a constitution, the rotating structure is constitutedby providing the rack provided along a moving direction of the body caseinto the operational position, and the rack is engaged with the rotatingbody in the course of loading movement of the body case into theoperational position to thereby rotate the rotating body. This allows toopen/close the shutter by the simple constitution of the fixed rackwithout providing the disk driving apparatus for recording/reproducingthe information with any specific constitution for opening/closing theshutter, thereby allowing to readily downsize the constitution foropening/closing the shutter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a partially cut-away constitution of adisk device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the disk device;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the disk deviceis loaded into a disk driving apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a state where the disk device is loadedinto the disk driving apparatus, in which FIG. 4(A) shows a state wherethe disk device is inserted into the disk driving apparatus, and FIG.4(B) shows a state where the window of the loaded disk device is opened;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a state where the disk device isabout to be loaded into the disk driving apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a rotation restricted state of arotating body by rotation regulator, in which FIG. 6(A) shows therotation restricted state of the rotating body, FIG. 6(B) shows a stateterminating the rotation restriction, and FIG. 6(C) shows a state havingterminated the rotation restriction;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state for loading the disk device intoanother disk driving apparatus, in which FIG. 7(A) shows a state wherethe disk device is inserted into the disk driving apparatus, and FIG.7(B) shows a state where the window of the loaded disk device is opened;

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a partially removed constitution of a diskdevice according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a partially cut-away constitution of adisk device according to yet another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a partially cut-away constitution of adisk device according to still another embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing an operation for opening/closinga shutter of a conventional disk device; and

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing an operation for opening/closinga shutter of another conventional disk device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

There will be described hereinafter an embodiment of the presentinvention, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[Structure of Disk Device]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a partially cut-away disk device accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showingthe disk device. FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away cross-sectional viewshowing the disk device in a state where it is loaded into a diskdriving apparatus. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view for explaining anopening/closing situation of a shutter, in which FIG. 4(A) is anexplanatory view explaining a state just before opening a window, andFIG. 4(B) shows a state where the window is opened. FIG. 5 is aperspective view for explaining a situation where the disk device isabout to be loaded into the disk driving apparatus. FIG. 6 is anexplanatory view showing a rotation restricted state of a rotating body,in which FIG. 6(A) shows a state where the rotation of the rotating bodyis restricted, FIG. 6(B) shows a state where the rotation restriction ofthe rotating body is terminated when inserted into the disk drivingapparatus, and FIG. 6(C) shows a state where the termination of rotationrestriction of the rotating body is maintained.

FIGS. 1 through 3 show a disk device 1 comprising: a disk 2; and a diskcartridge 3 rotatably accommodating the disk 2 therein. Used as the disk2 is an optical disk, magnetic disk or magnet-optical disk capable ofoptically or magnetically recording or recorded with a piece ofinformation, such as DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) and CD-ROM (CompactDisc Read Only Memory). The disk 2 is in a substantially circular shapeformed with a substantially circular axial hole 4 in a substantiallycenter position of the disk, and is provided with a recording surface 5to be recorded with or already recorded with a piece of information onone or both of the surfaces of the disk. This embodiment is alsoapplicable to those disks each having only one-sided recording surface5.

Meanwhile, the disk cartridge 3 includes a body case 11 made of asynthetic resin. This body case 11 includes: an obverse-side case 11A ofa substantially flat box shape which opens at its one side such as theback surface side; and a reverse-side case 11B of a substantially flatbox shape which opens at its one side such as the obverse surface sideso as to close the back surface side opening of the obverse-side case11A. Defined within the body case 11 by joining the obverse-side case11A and reverse-side case 11B is a disk chamber 12 capable of rotatablyaccommodating the disk 2 therein.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4(B), the body case 111 is opened with windows14. These windows 14 are formed in substantially the same shapes so asto open at positions such as corresponding to the obverse-side case 11Aand reverse-side case 11B, respectively. Each window 14 is in asubstantially rectangular shape opened to expose the disk 2 accommodatedwithin the disk chamber 12 in an area from the outer periphery of thedisk 2 toward the periphery of the central axial hole 4 of the disk 2,and is opened over a region from the substantial center of the body case11 toward the midsection of one edge portion of the body case. Further,the obverse surface and reverse surface of the body case 11 are providedwith sliding recesses 15 in substantially rectangular recessed shapes,respectively, over a region from the substantial center including thewindow 14 toward the one side edge of the body case.

The windows 14 may have appropriate shapes such that: each window has asize to expose only the portion of the recording surface 5 of the disk 2such as in an MD (Mini Disk); only one window is opened in that surfaceof the body case 11 which opposes to the recording surface 5 disposed atonly one surface of the disk 2; or one and the other windows are in theshapes opened to expose only the recording surface 5 on one surface sideand to expose an region from the vicinity of the axial hole 4 toward therecording surface 5 on the other surface side, respectively. In thesituation where only the recording surface 5 is exposed, the body case11 is to be provided with a hole so as to rotatingly drive the disk 2 bybringing the periphery of the axial hole 4 of the disk 2 into a stateexposed to the exterior.

As shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, on the outer surface at the reversesurface of the reverse-side case 11B, the body case 11 is provided withan operational-position determining groove 17 over a region from oneedge side of the body case 11 where the window 14 is opened toward theopposing other edge side of the body case. This operational-positiondetermining groove 17 is provided with guiding portions 17A in thestates outwardly spreading at the one edge portion and other edgeportion of the body case 11, respectively. As shown in FIG. 3, thisoperational-position determining groove 17 is formed in an opened statecontinued into the interior of the body case 11.

As shown in FIGS. 3 through 6, the operational-position determininggroove 17 is engaged in a slidable and disengageable manner with aguiding rib 19 disposed in a disk driving apparatus (not shown) forloading the disk device 1 therein so as to record a piece of informationinto and reproduce a piece of recorded information from the disk 2. Thisguiding rib 19 is disposed on a movement guiding member 20 disposed inthe disk driving apparatus so as to constitute a movement path fortransferring and moving therethrough the disk device 1 inserted viainsertion opening (not shown). This movement guiding member 20 is formedto have a substantially channel shaped cross section to include: acarrying plate 20A for carrying the disk device 1 thereon; and a pair ofguiding rails 20B opposing to each other at substantially the same widthdimension as the maximum width dimension of the disk device 1 so as toallow the disk device 1 to move between the guiding rails. The guidingrib 19 is protruded into a longitudinal rib shape in the direction formoving the disk device 1, at the position on the carrying plate 20A ofthe movement guiding member 20 and closer to the insertion opening. Theguiding rib 19 is formed into a so-called tapered or converged shapehaving a tip end of a smaller diameter by chamfering both tip ends andboth longitudinal edges of the guiding rib, and in a substantiallyellipse shape in a plan view.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the body case 11 is provided with ashutter body 25 in a moveable manner. This shutter body 25 exemplarilycomprises: a shutter 26 made of metal such as an aluminum alloy or madeof a synthetic resin; and a shutter rack 27 provided integrally with theshutter 26.

The shutter 26 is formed into a substantially deep channel shaped crosssection to include: a pair of cover plate portions 26A; and a couplingplate portion 26B for integrally and continuously coupling these coverplate portions 26A. Each cover plate portion 26A is formed into arectangular shape adapted to be moveably positioned within the slidingrecess 15 so as to cover substantially half the surface of the slidingrecess 15 to thereby close the window 14. The coupling plate portion 26Bintegrally and continuously joins longitudinal one ends of the coverplate portions 26A together. The shutter 26 is provided to straddle thebody case 11 from the sliding recess 15 of the obverse-side case 11A tothe sliding recess 15 of the reverse-side case 11B.

The shutter rack 27 is formed into an elongated rod shape by thecoupling plate portion 26B. This shutter rack 27 is provided integrallywith the coupling plate portion 26B, in a manner extended into adirection opposite to the direction through which the shutter 26 ismoved within the sliding recess 15, in a state where the shutter 26closes the window 14. There is provided a rack 27A on the longitudinalone surface of the shutter rack 27, i.e., on that surface of the shutterrack 27 facing to the disk chamber 12 of the body case 11, opposite tothe surface of the surface of the shutter rack 27 joined to the couplingplate portion 26B. Provided a both ends of the shutter rack 27 aresliding pawl portions (not shown) protruded from those side surfaces ofthe shutter rack which face to the cover plate portions 26A,respectively. These sliding pawl portions are to prevent the shutterbody 25 from falling from the body case 11, by engaging with concavesliding groove portions (not shown of the body case 11 along the movingdirection of the shutter 26.

The shape of the shutter 26 is not limited to the substantially channelshaped cross section, and its design may be appropriately modified intoany shape in a manner capable of opening/closing the window 14.Similarly, the structure of the shutter body 25 is not to limited to beconstituted of the shutter 26 and shutter rack 27, and its design may beappropriately modified.

As shown in FIGS. 1 through 6, rotatably provided within the body case11 is a rotating body 30. This rotating body 30 is in a disc gear shapeprovided with gear teeth 30A along the outer periphery of the rotatingbody. This rotating body 30 is provided in a rotatable manner by meansof a rotation shaft 30B disposed at the center of the rotating body 30,in a state where the rotating body 30 is placed that one corner of thebody case 11 which is deviated from the substantially circular diskchamber 112 such that the gear teeth 30A at the outer periphery areexposed from the outer surface of the body case 11. The rotation shaft30B for pivoting the rotating body 30 includes any constitution forrotatably pivoting the rotating body 30 to the body case 11, such thatthe rotation shaft 30B is integrally protruded from the body case 11 tothereby rotatably pivot the rotating body 30, or the rotation shaft 30Bis provided integrally with the rotating body 30 so as to be rotatablysupported by the body case 11.

Provided within the body case 11 is shutter driver 35 at a position nearthe rotating body 30, This shutter driver 35 disposed near the rotatingbody 30 and comprises: a first pinion 36 engaged with the rotating body30; and a second pinion 37 engaged with the first pinion 36 and with therack 27A of the shutter rack 27. This shutter driver 35 is to move theshutter body 25 provided with the shutter rack 27 engaged with thesecond pinion 37, by rotating the first pinion 36 in the directionopposite to the rotating body 30 and by rotating the second pinion 37 inthe same direction as the rotating body 30, when the rotating body 30 isrotated. Note, these first pinion 36 and second pinion 37 may berotatably pivoted in the same manner as the rotating body 30 by anymeans.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, provided within the body case 11 and nearthe rotating body 30 is rotation regulator 40 for restricting therotation of the rotating body 30. This rotation regulator 40 isexemplarily formed of an elastically deformable synthetic resin, andincludes a body part 40A in a rectangular column shape. This body part40A has its longitudinal one end rotatable in the direction to contactwith and depart from the outer periphery of the rotating body 30, bypivoting the other end of the body part 40A to the body case 11. Thispivotable supporting may be achieved in the same manner as the rotatingbody 30 by any means.

Protruded from the surface of the axial one end portion of the body part40A is a rotation regulating pawl 40B for opposing to the outerperipheral surface of the rotating body 30. This rotation regulatingpawl 40B is formed into a substantially wedge shape in a mannerengageable with and disengageable from the gear teeth 30A at the outerperipheral surface of the rotating body 30.

Provided at the axial other end of the body part 40A of the rotationregulator 40 is an elongated rotation restricting portion 40C along theaxial direction. This rotation restricting portion 40C is provided in astate where the tip end portion of the rotation restricting portion 40Cabuts on a positioning convex portion 42 protruded within the body case11 at a position opposite to the position where the rotation regulator40 is rotatably provided, with respect to the operational-positiondetermining groove 17. As shown in FIG. 6, this rotation restrictingportion 40C is formed to be capable of striding over the positioningconvex portion 42 by elastically deforming in itself by abutting ontothe guiding rib 19 disposed in the disk driving apparatus in a statewhere the rotation restricting portion 40C abuts on the positioningconvex portion 42. Note, this rotation restricting portion 40C may beconstituted of a member separate from the body part 40A such that onlythe rotation restricting portion 40C is formed of an elasticallydeformable member integrally attached to the body part 40A.

The rotation regulator 40 is provided with a torsion coil spring 43 asurging structure for urging the rotation regulating pawl 40B in adirection for normally engaging with the rotating body 30. The rotationregulator is not limited to the torsion coil spring 43, and may beexemplarily constituted of any elastic member such as a leaf spring orrubber for urging the rotation regulating pawl 40B of the rotationregulator 40 in a direction for normally engaging with the rotating body30.

This rotation regulator 40 is constituted such that the rotationregulating pawl 40B thereof is engaged with the gear teeth 30A at theouter peripheral surface of the rotating body 30 to thereby restrict therotation of the rotating body 30 in a normal state by the restoringforce comprising the urging force of the torsion coil spring 43 as shownin FIG. 6(A) such that the shutter 26 of the shutter body 25 closes thewindow 14 as shown in FIG. 4(A).

Upon loading the disk device 1 into the disk driving apparatus, theguiding rib 19 engages with the operational-position determining groove17 and relatively moves within the operational-position determininggroove 17 as the disk device 1 moves, thereby rendering the rotationrestricting portion 40C to abut onto the positioning convex portion 42.Further movement of the disk device 1 causes the rotation regulator 40to elastically deform as shown in FIG. 6(B) and then to stride over thepositioning convex portion 42. In this state, the rotating body 30 fallsinto a state for engaging with an operation rack 45 acting as rotatingstructure disposed on the guiding rail 20B of the movement guidingmember 20 of the disk driving apparatus along the moving direction ofthe disk device 1 shown in FIG. 4(A).

Further movement of the disk device 1 causes the guiding rib 19 to passthrough the rotation restricting portion 40C and then causes therotation regulator 40 to be rotated by the restoring force of thetorsion coil spring 43, as shown in FIG. 6(C). In this state, therotation restricting portion 40C again abuts onto the positioning convexportion 42, so that the rotation regulating pawl 40B is held, withoutengaging with the rotating body 30, in a state of a free rotation of therotating body 30, i.e., in a state where the rotating body 30 is rotatedby the operation rack 45 as the rotating body 30 moves. These rotatingbody 30, shutter driver 35 and the operation rack 45 as the rotatingstructure cooperatively constitute a shutter opening/closing mechanism48.

[Operation of Disk Device]

There will be explained hereinafter the operation of the disk device 1of the above embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the disk device 1 is positioned in a statewhere the shutter 26 of the shutter body 25 closes the window 14, in anormal unused state. In this state, the rotation regulating pawl 40B ofthe rotation regulator 40 engages with the gear teeth 30A at the outerperipheral surface of the rotating body 30 by the restoring force of thetorsion coil spring 43 as shown in FIG. 6(A), to thereby restrict therotation of the rotating body 30 such that the rotating body 30 is notrotated even by an action onto the rotating body 30 from the exterior.This avoids such a situation that the shutter body 25 is inadvertentlymoved to open the window 14 to thereby expose the recording surface 5 ofthe disk 2.

Upon using the disk device 1, i.e., upon recording a piece ofinformation into or reproducing the recorded information from the disk 2by the disk driving apparatus, the disk device 1 is inserted into theinsertion opening (not shown) of the disk driving apparatus, whileheading the shutter body 25 side of the disk device 1. This insertioncauses the guiding rib 19 disposed at the movement guiding member 20 ofthe disk driving apparatus to engage with the operational-positiondetermining groove 17. When the guiding rib 19 engages with theoperational-position determining groove 17, the guiding rib 19 is guidedby the guiding portion 17A at the end portion of theoperational-position determining groove 17. The guiding rib 19 issmoothly guided, since the tip end portion of the guiding rib 19 isformed into the converged shape by chamfering the tip ends of theguiding rib and in the substantially ellipse shape in the plan view.This allows the guiding rib 19 to assuredly engage with theoperational-position determining groove 17 even when the disk device 1is inserted in a slightly tilted manner, thereby allowing to dulyposition the disk device 1. Note, it is possible to avoid an erroneousinsertion of the disk device 1, because the guiding rib 19 abuts ontothe peripheral surface of the body case 11 when the disk device 1 wasinserted into the insertion opening in an upside-down manner or a mannerheading a portion other than the shutter body 25 side.

Further insertion of the disk device 1 in a forcible manner in asituation where the guiding rib 19 has engaged with theoperational-position determining groove 17, causes the guiding rib 19 torelatively move within the operational-position determining groove 17 tothereby abut onto the rotation restricting portion 40C of the rotationregulator 40 as the disk device 1 is moved, thereby rotating therotation regulator 40 against the restoring force of the torsion coilspring 43. Further movement of the disk device 1 in its insertingdirection causes the rotation restricting portion 40C to abut onto thepositioning convex portion 42 so that the rotation restricting portion40C is deformed to yield against its elasticity as shown in FIG. 6(B).Further movement of the disk device 1 in its inserting direction causesthe rotation restricting portion 40C to stride over the positioningconvex portion 42. In this state, the rotating body 30 engages with theoperation rack 45 of the movement guiding member 20 of the disk drivingapparatus as shown in FIG. 4(A).

Movement of the disk device 1 in its inserting direction, in the statewhere the rotating body 30 engages with the operation rack 45, bringsabout a situation where the operation rack 45 relatively moves on theouter peripheral surface of the rotating body 30 correspondingly to themovement of the disk device 1, so that the rotating body 30 is rotated.This rotation of the rotating body 30 rotates the first pinion 36 andsecond pinion 37 of the shutter driver 35, so that the shutter body 25having the shutter rack 27 engaged with the second pinion 37 is movedwithin the sliding recess 15 toward the rotating body 30 side. When therotating body 30 is to be engaged with the operation rack 45 and to berotated by the same, the guiding rib 19 prevents the disk device 1 frombeing moved in a direction separated from the operation rack 45. Thus,the engaging state between the rotating body 30 and operation rack 45can be assuredly maintained, so that the rotating body 30 is assuredlyrotated by the operation rack 45 with the movement of the rotating body.

While the rotating body 30 is rotated and the shutter body 25 is movedby the insertion of the disk device 1, the guiding rib 19 further moveswithin the operational-position determining groove 17 relative theretoand passes through the rotation restricting portion 40C as shown in FIG.6(C). The passage of the guiding rib 19 through the rotation restrictingportion 40C causes the rotation regulator 40 to rotate by the restoringforce of the torsion coil spring 43, so that the rotation restrictingportion 40C again abuts onto the positioning convex portion 42 tothereby restrict the rotational movement of the rotation regulator 40.In this state, the rotation regulating pawl 40B of the rotationregulator 40 never engages with the rotating body 30, so that therotation of the rotating body 30 by the operation rack 45 is maintainedto thereby move the shutter body 25 with the insertion of the diskdevice 1.

As shown in FIG. 4(B), the disk device 1 having been moved to apredetermined position, i.e., the operational position for recording apiece of information and/or reproducing the recorded information, isbrought into a state where the window 14 is fully opened to therebyexpose the recording surface 5 and the periphery of axial hole 4 of thedisk 2. Then, the rotation shaft (not shown) of the disk drivingapparatus is inserted into the axial hole 4 of the disk device 1 andfixed thereto, so as to rotate the disk 2 by the rotation of therotation shaft, thereby exemplarily conducting an operation forrecording a piece of information and/or reproducing the information.

There will be explained hereinafter a situation for operating the diskdevice 1 in another disk driving apparatus. Such a disk drivingapparatus exemplarily includes a constitution shown in FIG. 7.

Namely, reference numeral 51 in FIG. 7 designates a movement guidingmember, and this movement guiding member 51 is formed into asubstantially channel shaped cross section to include a carrying plate51A and a pair of guiding rails 51B, in substantially the same shape asthe movement guiding member 20 of the disk driving apparatus shown inFIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

The carrying plate 51A is provided with positioning ribs 52 protruded atthe side of the moving direction of the disk device 1 so as to positionthe inserted disk device 1 at the operational position to therebyrestrict the further movement of the disk device 1. The carrying plate51A is protruded with a pair of guiding pins 53 engaged with theoperational-position determining groove 17, instead of the singularelongated guiding rib 19 of the disk driving apparatus shown in FIGS. 4and 5. These guiding pins 53 are protruded at positions deviated fromthe position corresponding to the sliding recess 15, in a state wherethe disk device 1 has been positioned by abutting onto the positioningribs 52.

One of the guiding rails 51B is cut out and formed with a cut-out 55,instead of the operation rack 45 of the guiding rail 20B of the diskdriving apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. This cut-out 55 is disposed ata position opposing to the rotating body 30 in a state where the diskdevice 1 has been positioned by abutting onto the positioning ribs 52.

The disk driving apparatus is provided with rotation driver 60 as therotating structure. This rotation driver 60 includes a seat portion 61.This seat portion 61 is disposed within the disk driving apparatus in amanner capable of moving to and from, i.e., approaching and departingfrom a position adjacent to the movement guiding member 51 to therebyface to the cut-out 55.

The seat portion 61 is integrally provided with an electric motor 62 asdriving source. This electric motor 62 has its output shaft 62Aintegrally provided with a driving gear 63. Further, rotatably pivotedto the seat portion 61 is a drive transmission gear 64 engaged with thedriving gear 63. This drive transmission gear 64 can be rotatablypivoted in any means, identically with the rotating body 30.

When the disk device 1 is to be operated by the disk driving apparatusshown in FIG. 7, the disk device 1 is inserted into the insertionopening (not shown) of the disk driving apparatus while heading theshutter body 25 side of the disk device, identically with the situationwhere the disk device is operated by the disk driving apparatus shown inFIGS. 4 and 5. This insertion causes the guiding pins 53 disposed on themovement guiding member 51 of the disk driving apparatus to be guided byand engaged with the guiding portion 17A of the operational-positiondetermining groove 17, to thereby position the disk device 1.

Further insertion of the disk device 1 in a forcible manner in asituation where the guiding pins 53 have engaged with theoperational-position determining groove 17, causes the guiding pins 53to relatively move within the operational-position determining groove 17to thereby rotate the rotation regulator 40 thereby terminating therotation restriction of the rotating body 30, identically with thesituation for operating the disk device by the disk driving apparatusshown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Further movement of the disk device 1 in its inserting direction in thestate where the rotation restriction of the rotating body 30 has beenterminated, causes the disk device 1 to abut onto the positioning ribs52 so that the further movement of the disk device is restricted andthus the disk device 1 is positioned. By recognizing this positioningsuch as by a sensor or switch, the rotation driver 60 is integrallymoved to a position adjacent to the movement guiding member 51, so as toengage the drive transmission gear 64 with the rotating body 30 of thepositioned disk device 1 facing to the cut-out 55. In this state, theelectric motor 62 is driven to thereby rotate the driving gear 63together with the output shaft 62A, so that the drive transmission gear64 is rotated by the driving gear 63. This rotation of the drivetransmission gear 64 rotates the rotating body 30 so that the shutterbody 25 is moved to thereby open the window 14 thereby exposing therecording surface 5 of the disk 2, identically with the disk drivingapparatus shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[Effect of Disk Device]

As described above, the above embodiment exhibits the followingfunctions and effects.

Namely, the disk device 1 is provided by rotatably accommodating thedisk 2 in the disk cartridge 3 in which the body case 11 capable ofrotatably accommodating therein the disk 2 is opened with the windows 14for exposing the recording surfaces 5 of the disk 2 recorded with theinformation and the shutter body 25 is provided in a manner capable ofopening/closing the window 14. In a state where the disk device 1 hasbeen loaded in the disk driving apparatus for recording a piece ofinformation into and/or reproducing the information recorded in the disk2 or in the course of moving the disk device 1 into the operationalposition, the rotating body 30 rotatably provided within the body case11 in a state for exposing the outer peripheral surface of the rotatingbody is contacted with and rotated by the operation rack 45 of themovement guiding member 20 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 or the drivetransmission gear 64 of the rotation driver 60 shown in FIG. 7 so thatthe shutter body 25 is moved by rotation of the rotating body 30 by theshutter driver 35 disposed within the body case 11 to thereby open/closethe window 14. This enables to open/close the window 14 even by theoperation rack 45 and rotation driver 60 having mutually differentconstitutions by rotating the rotating body 30 to thereby move theshutter body 25 in the course of loading movement of the disk deviceinto the disk driving apparatus or after the loading of the disk device,so that the constitution for opening/closing the shutter body 25 is notlimited, thereby allowing to improve the versatility.

It is possible to rotate the rotating body 30 such as by contacting itwith the operation rack 45 disposed on the wall surface or simply withthe inner surface of the guiding rail 20B in the course of loadingmovement into the disk driving apparatus as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5,thereby readily downsizing and lightening the disk driving apparatuswhere the constitution for opening/closing the shutter body 25 isomitted from the disk driving apparatus or realized by the operationrack 45 of a simple structure.

Then, the gear shape of the rotating body 30 allows to readily utilize ageneral constitution adopting a rack and pinion constitution forconverting the rotation of the rotating body 30 into the linear movementof the shutter body 25, to thereby simplify the constitution foropening/closing the shutter body 25, thereby allowing to readily improvethe manufacturability and realize lightening and downsizing. Further,the rotating body 30 can be assuredly rotated such as by a gear or rackwithout slippage, thereby allowing to efficiently and assuredlyopen/close the shutter body 25.

Provided as the shutter driver 35 are: the shutter rack 27 integrallyprovided on the shutter body 25; and the first pinion 36 and secondpinion 37 engaged with the rack 27A of the shutter rack 27 and rotatedwith the rotation of the rotating body 30. Thus, the first pinion 36 andsecond pinion 37 of the shutter driver 35 are rotated as the rotatingbody 30 is rotated upon loading the disk device 1 into the disk drivingapparatus such that the rack 27A integrally provided on the shutter body25 and engaged with the second pinion 37 is moved to thereby move theshutter body 25, thereby allowing to obtain a constitution foropening/closing the shutter body 25 by the rotation of the rotating body30 by virtue of the simple structure to thereby readily downsize thedisk device 1 and improve the manufacturability thereof.

There is provided the rotation regulator 40 for separably contactingwith the rotating body 30 to thereby restrict the rotation of therotating body 30. This assuredly avoids such a situation that therotating body 30 is inadvertently rotated in a normal state to move theshutter body 25 thereby opening the window 14 to thereby expose the disk2. Thus, the damage of the disk 2 can be assuredly prevented.

The rotation regulator 40 is disengaged from the rotating body 30: inthe course of loading movement into the disk driving apparatus whichutilizes the disk device 1; and in the state where the disk device 1 hasbeen loaded in the disk driving apparatus. Thus, the rotation regulator40 contacts with the rotating body 30 in a normal state to thereby avoidthe movement of the shutter body 25 due to the rotation of the rotatingbody 30, while the rotation regulator 40 is separated from the rotatingbody 30 to thereby allow the rotating body 30 to rotate upon conductingthe operation for recording/reproducing the information in the diskdriving apparatus, thereby resulting in that the disk 2 is exposed onlyupon recording/reproducing the information thereby allowing torecord/reproduce the information so that the disk 2 can be assuredlyprotected in the normal state.

The body case 11 is provided with the operational-position determininggroove 17 for slidably engaging with the guiding rib 19 and guiding pin53 disposed on the movement guiding members 20 and 51 of the diskdriving apparatus, respectively. This allows to avoid a situation wherethe disk device 1 is caused to laterally escape by that acting forcefrom the lateral side which rotates the rotating body 30 so as to movethe shutter body 25. This allows to assuredly move the shutter body 25to thereby open/close the window 14.

Further, the rotating body 30 is constituted to be assuredly acted bythe operating force while the guiding rib 19 or guiding pin 53 of thedisk driving apparatus is protruded into the operational-positiondetermining groove 17 disposed on the body case 11. This eliminates anyprotruded constitution of the disk device 1 to thereby promote theoperability thereof, while allowing to exemplarily determine theinserting orientation of the disk device 1 in each disk drivingapparatus, i.e., to avoid an erroneous insertion of the disk device 1into the disk driving apparatus such as in an opposite or differentorientation.

Further, the operational-position determining groove 17 is disposed atthe position near the rotating body 30, thereby assuredly preventing thedisk device 1 from moving in an escaping manner, as compared with asituation where the disk device 1 is duly positioned by the pair ofguiding rails 20B of the movement guiding member 20 or 51correspondingly to the width dimension of the body case 11 having arelatively large tolerance for dimension. This allows to obtain a statewhere the rotating body 30 is assuredly engaged such as with theoperation rack 45 or rotation driver 60, so that the rotating body 30 isassuredly rotated to thereby allow to openingly/closingly move theshutter body 25 in a reliable manner. Namely, the location forpositioning the disk device 1 in its readily escaping direction iscloser to the cooperating guiding rail 20B, than the location of theremaining guiding rail 20B for otherwise positioning the disk device 1in its readily escaping direction. This allows to reduce dispersion ofmoving distances in the escaping direction of the disk device 1, tothereby obtain a situation where the rotating body 30 is assuredlyengaged with the rotating structure.

Moreover, the rotation driver 60 disposed on the disk driving apparatusis disengageably contacted with the rotating body 30 and then rotated,thereby allowing to open/close the shutter body 25 having been loadedinto the disk driving apparatus such as shown in FIG. 7. Thus, unlikethe conventional constitution exemplarily shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, theloading direction of the disk device 1 into the disk driving apparatusis never limited, such as by appropriately setting the arranged positionand/or moving direction of the rotation driver 60, to thereby improvethe versatility.

Meanwhile, the rotating body 30 is engaged with the operation rack 45disposed in the disk driving apparatus and is rotated by the movement ofthe disk device upon loading the disk device 1 into the disk drivingapparatus. This allows to open/close the shutter body 25 by the simpleconstitution of the fixed operation rack 45 without providing the diskdriving apparatus with any specific constitution for opening/closing theshutter body 25, thereby allowing to readily downsize the disk drivingapparatus.

[Variation of Embodiment]

The present invention is not limited to the aforementioned embodiment,and embraces variations within a scope capable of achieving the objectof the present invention.

Namely, the disk device 1 of the present invention is applicable to anydisk 2 capable of reproducing and/or recording a piece of information.

Further, the disk device 1 is not limited to accommodate the disk 2therein, and is utilized as the disk cartridge 3 for removablyaccommodating the disk 2.

The rotation regulator 40 is not limited to the constitution forengaging its rotation regulating pawl 40B with the rotating body 30 tothereby restrict the rotation of the rotating body. Namely, the rotationregulator may include any constitution for restricting the rotation suchas by pressure-contacting, and may be even omitted.

The shutter driver 35 is not limited to the first pinion 36 and secondpinion 37, and may be realized by a constitution such as shown in FIG.8. Namely, FIG. 8 shows shutter driver 70 including a string member 71having one end coupled to the shutter 26 and the other end coupled tothe rotation shaft 30B of the rotating body 30 acting as windupstructure. This string member 71 is wound around a pulley 72 positionedin the moving direction of the shutter body 25 within the body case 11and disposed in a rotatable manner. Provided at the opposite side to theextending direction of the string member 71 is a coil spring 73 ascounteracting structure. This coil spring 73 is provided in a state forinfluencing a pulling force as a restoring force onto the shutter 26 ofthe shutter body 25 so as to bring it into a normally closed state.

In the constitution shown in FIG. 8, the string member 71 is wound uponto the rotation shaft 30B by the rotation of the rotating body 30 soas to pullingly moving the shutter body 25 against the pulling force asthe restoring force of the coil spring 73, to thereby open the window14. In case of closing the window 14, the shutter body 25 is moved bythe restoring force of the coil spring 73 by releasing the tensile forceacting on the string member 71, such as by disengaging the operationrack 45 or the drive transmission gear 64 of the rotation driver 60 fromthe rotating body 30 or by driving the electric motor into a state forreversely rotating the drive transmission gear 64.

The constitution shown in FIG. 8 allows to readily provide the shutterdriver 70 within the body case 11 without interfering with the disk 2,thereby downsizing the disk device 1. Note, the wind-up structure androtating body may be constituted in any suitable manner, such as byforming them into a bobbin comprising the rotation shaft 30B providedwith a pair of flange-like collars at both ends, respectively, such thatthe collars act as the rotating body, and such that the wind-upstructure includes a wind-up area comprising the outer peripheralsurface area of the rotation shaft 30B between the collars. The bobbinshape allows the string member 71 to be reliably wound up by the wind-upstructure to thereby avoid such a situation that the string member 71 isdisengaged from the rotation shaft 30B and jammed to thereby stop themovement of the shutter body 25 and/or to thereby damage the stringmember 71.

Further, the shutter driver may be achieved: by exemplarily adopting aplurality of pinions 77 as shown in FIG. 9 such that three pinions 77constitute shutter driver 78 for moving the shutter body 25 into theopposite or faraway direction by transmitting the rotation of therotating body 30 to the shutter rack 27 via pinions 77; by moving theshutter body by adopting pulleys and an endless belt; or by moving theshutter body by combining these pulleys and endless belt with thepinions 77.

It is not limited to adopt the guiding rib 19 and guiding pins 53 suchas in the shape of rib and pin, respectively, and it is possible toadopt members in any shape including a wall shape capable of positioningor to provide a plurality of members like the guiding pins 53.

Further, the rotating structure has been explained to be constituted ofthe rotation driver 60 including the seat portion 61 provided with theelectric motor 62 having the driving gear 63 and with the drivetransmission gear 64 for engaging with and disengaging from the rotatingbody 30 such that the seat portion and gears are integrally moved toengage the drive transmission gear with the rotating body 30. However,it is constitutionally possible that the rotating structure is not movedand is previously disposed in a position for engaging with a diskdevice, and the disk device is to be engaged with the drive transmissiongear when the disk device is inserted into the disk driving apparatus sothat the rotation restriction of the rotating body is duly terminatedand the disk device is moved to a predetermined position such as theoperational position. Moreover, the driving gear 63 has been engagedwith the drive transmission gear 64 so as to rotate the rotating body30. However, the rotating body 30 can be rotated by any suitableconstitution such as by: providing the output shaft 62A with a pulleyand providing the drive transmission gear with a drive transmissionpulley to thereby put an endless belt around these pulleys; directlyengaging the driving gear 63 with the rotating body 30; or providing alooped belt gear comprising an endless belt having a toothed outerperipheral surface so as to engage this belt gear with the rotating body30.

The outer peripheral surface of the rotating body 30 has been providedto be protruded and exposed from the outer edge of the body case 11.However, it is possible to provide the rotating body 30 in a stateexemplarily shown in FIG. 10 by providing protector 81 for covering therotating body 30 in an axial direction such that the rotating body 30 isnot protruded beyond the outer edge of the body case 11 but the outerperipheral surface of the rotating body 30 is exposed to the exterior.

Namely, as shown in FIG. 10, the body case 11 is provided with arecessed portion 82 in a shape of recessed groove along the length ofits one side surface in the inserting direction of the body case 11. Therotating body 30 is provided in a state where the outer peripheralsurface of the rotating body is not protruded beyond the edge portion ofthe recessed portion 82 but positioned within the recessed portion 82.In this state, the side wall portions defining the recessed portion 82serve as the protector 81. The operation rack 45 is formed to have awidth dimension capable of moving within the recessed portion 82. Uponinsertion into the disk driving apparatus, the operation rack 45 isbrought into a state for relatively moving within the recessed portion82 so that the operation rack 45 engages with the rotating body 30 tothereby rotate the same, thereby opening/closing the window 14 by theshutter body 25.

The constitution shown in FIG. 10 allows: to avoid inadvertent contactwith the rotating body 30 from the exterior such as by hand; to avoid aninadvertent rotation and damage of the rotating body 30; and to restrictthe rotation of the rotating body 30 by a simple structure even withoutproviding a specific constitution such as the rotation regulator 40.Further, the rotating body 30 is not protruded, thereby allowing toimprove the external appearance. Note, the recessed portion 82 is notrestricted to the constitution to be provided over the entire length ofthe one side surface of the body case 11. Namely, the recessed portionmay be limited to only that area where the rotating body 30 is located,when the rotation driver 60 is exclusively utilized as the rotatingstructure of the disk driving apparatus without adopting the operationrack 45. In such a situation, the protector constituted of the recessedportion 82 may be also limited to only that area where the rotating body30 is located.

The disk driving apparatus may be achieved by any suitable constitutionsuch as by directly loading or placing the disk device 1 onto anoperational position without providing the movement guiding members 20,51, or by plurally providing the movement guiding members 20, 51.

Although the operational-position determining groove 17 has beenexplained to be provided, it is not impossible to omit it. Nonetheless,in case that the rotating body 30 is rotated such as by engagement of agear or by pressure-contact to thereby move the shutter 26 by thisrotation such that the rotating body 30 is provided at a side surface ofthe body case 11 in the moving direction of the body case 11, therotating structure is rendered to laterally engage or pressure-contactwith the rotating body so that the body case together with the rotatingbody particularly tends to be laterally forced in an escaping mannerthereby tending to fail to obtain a sufficient rotation of the rotatingbody, which sufficient rotation is to be inherently provided by theinserting movement of the body case or disk device. Thus, in case ofadopting the rotating body 30, it is preferable to engage the guidingrib 19 or guiding pin 53 with the operational-position determininggroove 17 particularly provided near the rotating body 30.

The operational-position determining groove 17 and the guiding rib 19and guiding pin 53 have been provided in the body case 11 and movementguiding members 20, 51, respectively. However, it is possible to adoptan exchanged or reverse constitution, and the concave and convex may bein any suitable shapes capable of engaging with and disengaging fromeach other to thereby conduct positioning. Further, the positioningconstitution may be achieved such as by positioning the disk device 1between the guiding rails 20B of the movement guiding member 20, withoutproviding the disk device 1 with a specific constitution such as theoperational-position determining groove 17.

In addition, the concrete structure and procedures such as uponpracticing the present invention may be modified or altered to otherones insofar as the object of the present invention is achieved.

1. A disk cartridge capable of rotatably accommodating therein a disk soas to be loaded into a disk driving apparatus, the disk cartridgecomprising: a body case (11) capable of rotatably accommodating the disktherein; a window (14) opened in the body case so as to expose thatsurface of the accommodated disk which is to be or has been recordedwith a piece of information; a shutter (26) provided in the body case ina manner capable of opening/closing the window; a rotating body (30)rotatably provided within the body case and being contacted with androtated by the disk driving apparatus, in a state where the diskcartridge is loaded in the disk driving apparatus or in the course ofloading movement of the disk cartridge into the disk driving apparatus;and shutter driver provided within the body case and for moving theshutter by the rotation of the rotating body to thereby open/close thewindow, wherein the rotating body comprises a gear, and the rotatingbody is disengageably contacted with and rotated by a rotating structureprovided in the disk driving apparatus.
 2. A disk cartridge according toclaim 1, wherein said rotating body is engaged with a rack provided inthe disk driving apparatus and is rotated by the movement of said diskcartridge upon loading into the disk driving apparatus.
 3. A disk devicecomprising: a disk cartridge recited in claim 2; and a disk rotatablyaccommodated within said disk cartridge.
 4. A disk cartridge accordingto claim 1, wherein said shutter driver comprises: a shutter rackprovided integrally with said shutter; and a pinion engaged with saidshutter rack and rotated as said rotating body rotates.
 5. A disk devicecomprising: a disk cartridge recited in claim 4; and a disk rotatablyaccommodated within said disk cartridge.
 6. A disk cartridge accordingto claim 1, wherein said shutter driver comprises: wind-up structureprovided integrally with said rotating body; a string member having oneend coupled to said shutter and the other end coupled to said wind-upstructure so that said string member is wound up by the rotation of saidrotating body to thereby pullingly move said shutter; and counteractingstructure coupled to said shutter so as to influence a counteractingforce onto said shutter in a direction opposite to the direction forpullingly moving said shutter by said string member.
 7. A disk devicecomprising: a disk cartridge recited in claim 6; and a disk rotatablyaccommodated within said disk cartridge.
 8. A disk cartridge accordingto claim 1, further comprising: rotation regulator disposed within saidbody case so as to separably contact with said rotating body to therebyrestrict the rotation of said rotating body.
 9. A disk devicecomprising: a disk cartridge recited in claim 8; and a disk rotatablyaccommodated within said disk cartridge.
 10. A disk cartridge accordingto claim 8, wherein said rotation regulator is separated from saidrotating body, upon loading of said disk cartridge into the disk drivingapparatus or in a state of said disk cartridge loaded in the diskdriving apparatus.
 11. A disk device comprising: a disk cartridgerecited in claim 10; and a disk rotatably accommodated within said diskcartridge.
 12. A disk cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said bodycase includes a recessed portion at an outer surface of said body case;and wherein said rotating body is positioned and disposed in saidrecessed portion so as to allow an outer peripheral surface of saidrotating body to be contacted with the disk driving apparatus.
 13. Adisk device comprising: a disk cartridge recited in claim 12; and a diskrotatably accommodated within said disk cartridge.
 14. A disk devicecomprising: a disk cartridge recited in claim 1; and a disk rotatablyaccommodated within said disk cartridge.
 15. A shutter opening/closingmechanism for opening/closing a shutter of a disk cartridge, the diskcartridge comprising: a body case capable of rotatably accommodating adisk therein; a window opened in the body case so as to expose thatsurface of the accommodated disk which is to be recorded with a piece ofinformation; and the shutter provided in the body case in a mannercapable of opening/closing the window; said shutter opening/closingmechanism comprising: a rotating body rotatably provided within the bodycase and including an exposed outer peripheral surface; shutter driverprovided within the body case and for moving the shutter by the rotationof the rotating body to thereby open/close the window; and rotatingstructure for contacting with said rotating body to thereby rotate saidrotating body, in a state where the disk cartridge is loaded in anoperational position for conducting at least one of operations forrecording a piece of information into the disk and reproducing theinformation recorded in the disk, or in the course of loading movementof the disk cartridge into the operational position, the rotatingstructure being disengageably contacted with the rotating body.
 16. Ashutter opening/closing mechanism according to claim 15, wherein saidrotating structure comprises rotation driver for disengageablycontacting with said rotating body in the state where the body case isloaded in the operational position, to thereby rotate said rotatingbody.
 17. A shutter opening/closing mechanism according to claim 15,wherein said rotating structure comprises a rack provided along a movingdirection of the body case into the operational position, said rackbeing engaged with said rotating body in the course of loading movementof to body case into the operational position to thereby rotate saidrotating body.
 18. A disk cartridge capable of rotatably accommodatingtherein a disk so as to be loaded into a disk driving apparatus, thedisk cartridge comprising: a body case (11) capable of rotatablyaccommodating the disk therein; a window (14) opened in the body case soas to expose that surface of the accommodated disk which is to be or hasbeen recorded with a piece of information; a shutter (26) provided inthe body case in a manner capable of opening/closing the window; arotating body (30) rotatably provided within the body case and includingan outer peripheral surface so as to be contacted with and rotated bythe disk driving apparatus, in a state where the disk cartridge isloaded in the disk driving apparatus or in the course of loadingmovement of the disk cartridge into the disk driving apparatus; andshutter driver provided within the body case and for moving the shutterby the rotation of the rotating body to thereby open/close the window,wherein the rotating body is contacted with and rotated by a contactingstructure provided in the disk driving apparatus.
 19. A disk cartridgecapable of rotatably accommodating therein a disk so as to be loadedinto a disk driving apparatus, the disk cartridge comprising: a bodycase (11) capable of rotatably accommodating the disk therein; a window(14) opened in the body case so as to expose that surface of theaccommodated disk which is to be or has been recorded with a piece ofinformation; a shutter (26) provided in the body case in a mannercapable of opening/closing the window; a rotating body (30) rotatablyprovided within the body case and including an outer peripheral surfaceso as to be contacted with and rotated by the disk driving apparatus, ina state where the disk cartridge is loaded in the disk driving apparatusor in the course of loading movement of the disk cartridge into the diskdriving apparatus; and shutter driver provided within the body case andfor moving the shatter by the rotation of the rotating body to therebyopen/close the window, wherein the rotating body is disengageablycontacted with and rotated by a contacting structure provided in thedisk driving apparatus.
 20. A disk cartridge capable of rotatablyaccommodating therein a disk so as to be loaded into a disk drivingapparatus, the disk cartridge comprising: a body case (11) capable ofrotatably accommodating the disk therein; a window (14) opened in thebody case so as to expose that surface of the accommodated disk which isto be or has been recorded with a piece of information; a shutter (26)provided in the body case in a manner capable of opening/closing thewindow; a rotating body (30) rotatably provided within the body case andincluding an outer peripheral surface so as to be contacted with androtated by the disk driving apparatus, in a state where the diskcartridge is in the course of loading movement of the disk cartridgeinto the disk driving apparatus; and shutter driver provided within thebody case and for moving the shutter by the rotation of rotating body tothereby open/close the window, wherein the rotating body is contactedwith and rotated by a contacting structure provided in the disk drivingapparatus, the contacting structure being fixed at the movement path fortransferring the disk cartridge in the disk driving apparatus.